Explore the past, think on the present, and change the future in the romantic fantasy of ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’

Director Kogonada brings a new romantic fantasy to cinemas with A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, opening in the Philippines on Sept. 17.

The film stars Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell together on screen for the first time as strangers who meet at a mutual friend’s wedding and embark on an unexpected adventure.

“Like many movie lovers, I’m hungry for new worlds, new characters, and a new way of thinking about the human experience,” Kogonada said, describing his inspiration for the project.

Doors play a central role in the story, transporting the characters back to pivotal moments in their past.

“I love the theatre of doors,” Kogonada explained.

“When I see a door on a theatrical stage, it always sparks the imagination. That door has the potential to lead us anywhere – into the mundane or the magical. Doors represent possibilities. They are inherently mysterious. Opening a door, literally and figuratively, means entering a new space, a new experience, a new moment in your life.”

Screenwriter Seth Reiss, known for The Menu, said the film blends romance, humor, and drama with a fantastical twist.

“I liked that we can’t put the film into a box, yet it feels relatable,” Reiss said.

“It’s a story about two people and their deficiencies and evolving love story, and everyone can relate to that. Then it’s all filtered through this high concept of their magical adventure. The characters of David (Farrell) and Sarah (Robbie) and their romance are like the cake of the movie, and the magical realism is the icing.”

Kogonada praised Robbie and Farrell’s chemistry, describing their performances as magnetic.

“It’s the kind of film I would want to watch in a packed theater,” he said.

“It’s surprising and original with two compelling actors – Margot and Colin – at the peak of their craft. They light up the screen together.”

He added that the film is built on three pillars: original, romantic, and magical.

“I wanted to make something that was original and had a scale that reflected my love for a certain kind of cinematic experience,” Kogonada said.

“The kind I experienced when I was younger that would leave me both delighted and moved and would stay with me for days upon days.”

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, the local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International, with the hashtag #ABigBoldBeautifulJourney @columbiapicph. (Photo & Video Credit: Columbia Pictures)